Chapter Forty-Eight: Encounter at the Yao Village

The Yao tribesman said, “First, once you enter the village, do not speak with anyone else. Go directly inside to rest, and leave early tomorrow morning.”

Lan Wutong replied, “Of course, did you think we’d overstay our welcome?”

The Yao tribesman continued, “Second, no matter what sounds you hear outside at night, you must not go out to investigate. If you encounter misfortune, don’t blame anyone but yourself.”

Lan Wutong asked, “Do you have some unspeakable business in your village at night?” The tribesman retorted, “Do you agree or not?”

Lan Wutong said, “We have no wish to meddle, very well, as you wish.”

The tribesman glanced at Li Chongyuan and Lin Qingli, saying, “Third, whatever happens, just look after yourself. Don’t concern yourself with others.”

Lan Wutong, indignant, said, “What kind of talk is that? They are my friends—am I to stand by and do nothing if trouble arises?”

The tribesman, hot-tempered himself, shouldered his load and replied, “If you won’t agree, so be it. I’ll return to the village, and don’t follow me.”

Lin Qingli hurriedly interjected, “Enough, brother, I’ll agree on her behalf.” She quickly took out several silver pieces and pressed them into his hand. The Yao people were usually honest and never asked guests for money, but this man hesitated before accepting the silver, muttering a few words in Yao dialect.

Though Lin Qingli and Li Chongyuan didn’t understand, Lan Wutong caught his meaning. The man said, “Come with me, then.” He hoisted his load and walked into the distance.

A strange odor emanated from the man, making the three wrinkle their noses. The smell was peculiar, oddly reminiscent of rusted iron.

Lan Wutong quietly warned Li Chongyuan and the others, “Be careful, there’s something off about this fellow. What he muttered just now was, ‘Normally I wouldn’t take your silver, but since you won’t be needing it any longer, I’ll just keep it. Be on your guard later.’ Stay alert, everyone.”

After walking for over an hour, they reached a mountain hollow dotted with dozens of stilted wooden houses—a Yao village.

At the entrance stood a weathered stone stele; the inscription was nearly illegible, but one could faintly make out the words “Black Lantern Village.”

Strangely, there was no one about; the place was utterly silent. There were not even the sounds of chickens or dogs, and the stilted houses were in disrepair, the village resembling an abandoned, lifeless place.

Lin Qingli asked, “Brother, do you not keep dogs in the village? Why don’t I see any?”

The man answered, “All the dogs were killed. No one is allowed to keep them anymore.” When pressed for a reason, he only shook his head and sighed, saying nothing more.

Soon, they reached the village center, where dozens of coffins were arrayed in the open space. Lan Wutong asked, “Brother, did a plague strike the village?”

The tribesman’s face was stricken with misery. “You could say that,” he replied. Outwardly, Li Chongyuan and the others remained calm, but inwardly they were on guard. Nothing happened as they were led to one of the stilted houses; by then, night had fully fallen. The tribesman pointed to the eastern wing. “Rest there. The mountains are poor, we have little to offer guests. Please don’t take offense.”

Li Chongyuan said, “Thank you, brother. Being able to rest here for a night is more than enough; we ask for nothing else.” The tribesman said nothing more, heading to the house opposite.

Lan Wutong forced a wry smile. “He’s got quite the temper. Well, since we’re here, let’s make ourselves comfortable.” Fortunately, they had their own water and provisions, so they ate and drank a little, then lay down to sleep without undressing.

Around midnight, a piercing whistle sounded from far away, startling them all awake. They peered out through cracks in the window. As the whistle continued, a black figure flew into the clearing, landing atop the stone mill—a man in a black robe, an old man.

Lan Wutong’s face changed dramatically, her voice trembling. “My god, it’s Blade Gold Python!” Only then did Li Chongyuan recognize the man who had dueled with Lan Wutong in Blackstone Mountain. He had lost the match and left, presumably heading to Miao territory for medicine, but to their shock he was here.

Blade Gold Python blew his bone whistle repeatedly. Soon, banging noises erupted from the coffins as if something alive was trying to escape. With a thunderous sound, one coffin lid was thrown aside and a figure in Yao clothing, tattered and stiff, climbed out and lurched toward the center, drawn by the whistle. One after another, the coffins opened, disgorging dozens of such grotesque figures.

Lin Qingli, terrified, clasped her hand over her mouth to keep from crying out, muttering to herself, “It’s the walking dead! The walking dead!”

Lan Wutong, voice shaking with fear, whispered, “They aren’t the walking dead! These are the ‘medicine men’ he mentioned that day. I thought he’d left them in Miao territory, but he hid them here in this little village in Hubei. The other Yao villagers must have been killed by him!”

The medicine men shambled around the stone mill at the center, mimicking attack motions in time with the whistle. Their movements were slow, but their strength immense, and they felt neither pain nor fear. Once caught, it would be nearly impossible to escape.

Blade Gold Python drilled the medicine men for a while, then had them stand aside, and shouted, “Ji Wa! Get out here!” The Yao tribesman emerged from the stilted house, trembling, and knelt before Blade Gold Python, kowtowing furiously and mumbling, “Kowtowing to the immortal master, kowtowing to the immortal master…”

Blade Gold Python demanded, “Ji Wa, tell me, have you brought me blood food these past days?”

Ji Wa whimpered, “The wild beasts have all fled the mountain, they’re hard to find…”

Blade Gold Python roared, “Who wants beasts? My treasures need human blood! I want you to bring people! If you can’t, I’ll tear you apart and feed you to my medicine men!”

Ji Wa nearly collapsed in fright, wailing, “Spare me, immortal master! Today there are… two Han travelers here—I lured them for you.”

Blade Gold Python was delighted. “Well done! Where are they?”

Ji Wa pointed to the stilted house where Li Chongyuan and his companions hid. Blade Gold Python grinned, “Excellent. Step aside. I’ll use them to train my medicine men’s killing skills!” He blew his whistle, and the medicine men began to shamble toward the house.

Lan Wutong murmured, “It’s over! We’re all going to die here.”

Lin Qingli, pale as wax, gripped her sword but was at a loss.

Li Chongyuan’s spirit surged. “My fate is mine to command! I’ll draw them away; you take Lin Qingli and escape.” With that, he leapt from the window, sword aimed straight at Blade Gold Python.

He shouted, “Shameless fiend, calling yourself an immortal!”

Lan Wutong dragged Lin Qingli and followed closely.

Blade Gold Python had thought the house contained ordinary travelers, never expecting to meet Li Chongyuan, whom he’d seen on Blackstone Mountain. Startled, he ducked behind the medicine men, ordering them with his whistle to attack. Li Chongyuan saw their clumsy movements and stabbed the leading medicine man in the chest. It didn’t even flinch as the sword shredded its torso, but still reached out with stiff arms to grab him.

Li Chongyuan dared not be careless. He dodged the grasp, then executed his Shadowless Before the Lamp technique, his figure splitting into many shadows, weaving among the medicine men, his sword stabbing their vital points to no avail. These medicine men were hard to make; seeing his creations assaulted, Blade Gold Python was furious. “Seize him!” he howled.

He soon spotted Lan Wutong hiding behind him and laughed. “These medicine men were made for you. Good—when I catch you, I’ll refine you into a medicine man myself and fulfill my wish!”

Lin Qingli, never having seen Blade Gold Python and unaware of his power, was furious. “Let me refine you first!” she cried, flinging a dart at him. Blade Gold Python only laughed. “Such a lovely girl—I'll refine you too.” He blew his whistle and a medicine man stepped forward. The dart struck its chest but had no effect; it plucked the dart out and tossed it aside.

Lin Qingli was stunned. Lan Wutong gave a bitter laugh. “It’s useless.” She shouted, “Brother Chongyuan, don’t let these monsters surround you! Let’s run deeper into the valley—they can’t keep up!” The three fought as they retreated. The medicine men moved slowly and couldn’t catch them, but they dared not stop, for Blade Gold Python kept sending them forward with his whistle. Soon, they were forced into a dead-end valley, three sides blocked by sheer cliffs, with no way out.

Behind them came the sound of falling rocks; the medicine men were close. Li Chongyuan spotted a towering phoenix tree not far off. “Let’s climb the tree!” he called.

Lan Wutong, delighted, said, “Medicine men can’t climb trees—the phoenix saves the phoenix at last!” Of the three, Lin Qingli’s lightness skill was the weakest. The other two each took one of her arms and leapt up into the tree.

Before long, Blade Gold Python herded the medicine men beneath the tree, driving them to climb. But they could only get a man’s height before tumbling down, stripping a layer of bark as they fell.

Lan Wutong burst out laughing. Li Chongyuan said, “Don’t be fooled by their inability to climb. We can’t get down either; if we’re stuck here too long, we’ll die of exhaustion.”

Lan Wutong replied, “You don’t know—these medicine men can’t stand sunlight. At dawn, they’ll melt away. Before daybreak, Blade Gold Python will have to call them back.”

They had just breathed a sigh of relief when the tree suddenly shook. Looking down, they saw the medicine men were now pushing at the trunk. Blade Gold Python, realizing they couldn’t climb and unwilling to approach himself for fear of Lan Wutong’s Bone-Melting Black Flies, had come up with a new plan: he ordered the medicine men to push the tree. With their immense strength, the phoenix tree soon began to sway precariously.

Blade Gold Python laughed wildly from a distance, pointing at the three. “Do you think you can contend with me? I’ll see how you fare once I’m done with you!”